Recent comments by Dana Point Mayor Joel Bishopdemonstrate that he is completely out of touch, or chooses to misrepresent what is really going on. To assert that the only reason there are only three candidates running for the City Council is because “the town is at peace in a way that the community is embracing” denies the ugly truth about politics in Dana Point.

Thanks to outgoing council member Diane Harkey, running for the council has become a big-money, high-stakes game. Having spent nearly $200,000 for a seat on this tiny city council, from the word “go” she proceeded to use her office as a springboard for higher office. A hallmark of her tenure is to publicly attack anyone stepping in her way, but always through her surrogates and sycophants, because apparently she lacks the courage to fight for herself.

With the exception of returning council member and former Mayor Lara Anderson (the lone member of the council still to uphold integrity and true public service), the two other candidates running this time seem to be just more from the Harkey camp. Keep tuned as to who is hired to run their campaigns; this, and other things will likely reveal far closer ties to Harkey as time goes on.

With the recent history of Dana Point politics, what potential candidates would subject themselves to (a) competing with the huge money needed in a toe-to-toe battle, and (b) become the possible target of smears in their own community? And for what? To have the privilege of being a minority on a tiny, stacked council? It’s almost too late now to stop it, but if the citizenry really cares about where Dana Point will end up, it’s never too late to build a council that represents them instead of large developer lobbies and other special interests who will slowly suck the life out of this town.